R.I.P. Matt Napolitano: Fox Audio Network Anchor And Former ‘Jeopardy’ Contestant Dead At 33

Matt Napolitano, an audio producer and anchor for Fox Audio Network, has died. He was 33.

The reporter’s husband, Ricky Whitcomb, confirmed the sad news in a social media post.

“With a heavy heart I have to share that my husband @MattNapolitano passed away yesterday morning,” Whitcomb wrote on X (the platform formerly known as Twitter) on Dec. 24. “He loved his job and he loved bringing the news to your radios and televisions. An honest journalist who truly cared about facts. You can thank him for the last-minute Jets win today.”

According to Whitcomb, Napolitano was battling an autoimmune disease for nearly two decades before dying “as the result of an infection” on Saturday, Dec. 23.

Napolitano first joined Fox in 2015 as a writer for the SiriusXM channel Fox News Headlines 24/7, where he covered major events like the Super Bowl, World Series and Daytona 500, among others, per Deadline. He was also a correspondent for Fox News Edge, which presents stories for local Fox TV affiliates.

“Matt did everything from anchoring to writing and producing for our audio platforms and loved being able to work in the journalism field that he trained for his entire life,” Fox News CEO Suzanne Scott wrote in an email to staff following his death, per Deadline. “He began his Fox career in 2015 as a writer for our dedicated SiriusXM news channel Fox News Headlines 24/7. There, he quickly demonstrated his writing, producing and on-air skills. He soon became a sports reporter for the service and further excelled in that position.”

She continued, “After a very brief departure, Matt returned to Fox News Audio as an update anchor/reporter, again writing, producing, and anchoring on all audio platforms. Matt also appeared on Fox Business Network’s Cavuto Coast to Coast with the latest sports stories and worked with the team at our affiliate news service Fox News Edge voicing packages for various Fox affiliates.”

With a heavy heart I have to share that my husband @MattNapolitano passed away yesterday morning. He loved his job and he loved bringing the news to your radios and televisions. An honest journalist who truly cared about facts. You can thank him for the last minute Jets win today pic.twitter.com/I4fszUMAeh

— ricky (@whickywhit) December 25, 2023

Before joining Fox, Napolitano worked as an associate producer for TMZ, and won two Associated Press awards for Best Overall Newscast, according to his LinkedIn page.

Aside from his reporting career, Napolitano was also a longtime game show fan, having competed on both Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune. In his X bio, he described himself as a “Jeopardy! runner-up” and a “Wheel of Fortune winner/bonus round choker.”

“I hope I did the hometown proud, ’cause it wasn’t easy up there,” Napolitano told the Long Island Herald following his Jeopardy! appearance in June 2020.